The 2018 Ford Mustang adds a new Drag Strip drive-selectable mode to its arsenal.

Those pining over the 2018 Mustang have undoubtedly heard the GT model’s claim to fame of a sub-four-second sprint time. Even the new 310-horsepower EcoBoost version can hit 60 miles per hour in less than five if equipped with Ford’s Performance Package and 10-speed SelectShift automatic.

So what allows Ford’s new Mustang to get off the line that quickly besides some added torque and a smoother-shifting transmission? A great deal of credit belongs to a new Drag Strip driving mode.

Joining Normal, Snow/Wet, Sport, and Track modes for 2018 as a drive-selectable mode, Drag Strip mode is designed for doing exactly what the name implies – going as fast as possible in a straight line. It allows for maximum acceleration by improving horsepower and torque outputs while optimizing shifting and traction to give you the kind of speed capable of intimidating European sports car owners.

The new Mustang GT features a 5.0-liter V8 engine that makes 460 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque.

For some frame of reference, Ford has claimed the new Mustang GT will outrun a Porsche 911 Carrera.

“Typically, when you shift gears, you give up time,” said Carl Widmann, Mustang’s chief engineer. “In Drag Strip mode, the engine torque doesn’t drop when you’re shifting. You get peak engine torque and horsepower straight through thanks to our new Ford-built 10-speed transmission.”

By taking advantage of a finely tuned transmission with quicker shift times as well as four available track-ready custom-designed Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires and two engines with some added muscle, Drag Strip Mode helps give this pony the extra boost needed for peak performance, and as Ford puts it “by eliminating the lost time usually associated with automatic shifting.”

“Gearing matters, and in Drag Strip mode, this car launches better than ever off the line,” said Widmann.